Pakistan

Swiss couple kidnapped near Loralai: Officials

The couple, said to be tourists, might have been heading for Quetta.

Express July 02, 2011

QUETTA:

A Swiss couple said to be tourists went missing in Loralai on Friday, police said.

“The Swiss couple did not inform the provincial government or the local administration about their journey to Balochistan so that adequate security measures could be provided,” said Home Secretary Balochistan Zafar Baloch, while confirming the incident.

According to the police officials, the couple had entered Balochistan from Dera Ghazi Khan in Punjab and might have been heading for Quetta. They were listed as missing near Sirki Jangal, a Levies check post Loralai.

“The couple entered the province around 5pm and registered themselves as husband and wife at a police checkpoint,” official Sohailur-Rehman told Reuters. “We have found the vehicle in which they were travelling. Law enforcement agencies have sealed off the entry and exit points of the district and are carrying out a search operation,” said the deputy commissioner of Loralai.

No-one has yet claimed responsibility for the incident or contacted authorities about the kidnapped foreigners.

According to sources, a group of armed men intercepted their vehicle and kidnapped them presumably for ransom.

ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AGENCIES

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2^nd, 2011.

COMMENTS (8)

akhtar | 13 years ago | Reply I wonder why they people shy away from the fact. Swiss couple entered in Balochistan from Rakni where they registered their selves. At Loralai police joined the couple and passed them on towards Quetta in protection. Police had a limited area, soon the B area starts where Balochistan Levies had to join for further protocol. According to Loralai police they informed the Levies for further necessary action, but they excused due to unavailability of fuel in their vehicles. Very astonishing as we see in our society a constable of the law enforcing agency is much more financially sound than that of an officer of gazetted rank. At the time of such important task they have no POL to squad foreigners.

Safir afkhan. | 13 years ago | Reply @marki its not a good time for tourism in pakistan buddy some thing is fishy here. not so nuatral the world is swiss hawala.

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Aadersh | 13 years ago | Reply Loralai was one of the safest area in Balochistan....there r no separatists movements in Loralai & people there r quite peaceful....but Alas!! this menace has now came to Loralai too...I wish this couple will b released as soon as possible..

Mubarak Butt | 13 years ago | Reply While the number of countries in Europe and else where keep printing reports in media about law and order and terror in Pakistan, I wonder what this couple was doing in that part of our country. I do not think it a case of tourism.

Veenu pandit | 13 years ago | Reply Abducted swiss couples may not be faithful to the administration the reason they didn't want the hassle of security and its repercussions have been divulged.

Thomas | 13 years ago | Reply @Mark: Actually I dont think that tourism can be ruled out. Inspite of the dire conditions, people still seem to come and then get kidnapped. I do find it curious that they do not stop. It is almost as if they disregard personal safety getting in to the hot zone.

Mark | 13 years ago | Reply @sam: Yeah. Damn those Swiss people for having the desire to see the world outside their borders. At least we can rule out tourism as an economic option for Pakistan. hopefully my typo correction gets noticed by moderators and I don't end up double posting, and if they do and don't remove this part, just ignore it. It shouldn't make any sense at all if the outcome is good.

sam | 13 years ago | Reply err whats a swiss couple doing in balochistan???? thats just shady! i thought the swiss always played neutral.. i guess NOT!

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